Display case



06L 1929- J. H. VAN SICKELS 3 05 DISPLAY CASE Filed June 1926 27 EEK- Patented Oct. 1, 1929 UNITED STATES P-A 1E' roelien JOHN H. VAN SICKELS, F MONTREAL, QUEBEC), UANADK, ASSIGNOR TO CIGAR COMPANY LIMITED, 013 MONTREAL, L'H-SLNAIDLA DISPLAY j onsnv Application filed. June 2, 1926. Serial No. 113,244.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in display cases and particularly to display cases'having a plurality of independently hinged covers, and the object 6 of the invention is to provide a case of the class stated which will have means-to efliciently seal the covers when closed and means to hold the covers in their .sealed condition,

said holding means being so constructed that through transparent material forming the central portions of the covers. The covers are provided with means to position them so that they will engage with spring controlled locking means, comprising a locking lever, each positioned to: engage with slots formed in the cover, said locking levers being connected to a bar which when moved unlocks all the covers in unison. The bar is positioned within the case, with one end passing through the back of the case and said endis connectedto a cam-shaped lever adapted to hold the locking levers in their locked or unlocked position, and against the action of a spring.

A slot is cut in the end of the bar, said slot:

being adapted to engage with theback of the case and a spring is provided to hold the slot in engagement with the back of' the box to prevent unauthorized opening ofthe case covers. Means are provided within thecase to position the. articles to be vended and means are also provided to keep saidiarticles in good condition, so that they will retain their quality and market Value. v

In the drawings which illustrate one form of my invention;

Figure 1 is a plan of. my improved displayv case.

Figure 2 isa sectional elevation of the case taken on the line 2-2 Figure 1.

Figure 3 ,isan enlarged sectional end elevation of one of the covers and the part of the case adjacent thereto showing the sealing means. A

Figure 4 is a side-elevationof the end of the locking bar in the locked position, and Figure 5 is a side elevation of the end of the lever in the unlocked position;

Referring more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate; a display case suitable for counter use, 11 designates the bottom of the case, 12 the sides, and 13 and 14 the front and back respectively. Thefront of the case is made lower than the back so that the up per edges 15 of. thesidesslopedownwardly towards the front. Extending from side to side ofthe case and'attached in anysuitable.

,ma'nnerto the upper edge 15 of said sides,

are the cover supports 16, which are shown in section in Figure 2, and are of channel formation, but this is for illustrative purposes; only and these supportsmay be made of any suitable cross section which will provide downwardly extending legsl6 for the purpose hereinafter stated. Attached to the cover supports by means of the hinges-17, are the cover frames 18, which are provided with transparent centre portions 19, through which so the goods within the casev may be displayed, The cover frames are'of rectangular formation with grooves 20 formed in the inner faces 21' and the sheets of-glassor other transparent material forming-the centre-portions are held within the groovesbymea'ns of the cushioning members 22, which maybe made of. rubber tubing or like resilient material. I Projecting downwardly from the inner edges'of the frames are the sealing and positioning 9O ridges 21 ,which contact with downwardly projecting portionsof the cover-supports and also the downwardly projecting edges 21 of the sides and endsof the case. A slot23 is cut or formed in the lower face and in one side 24' of each of the frames, so: that the hooked ends 25 of the locking levers 26-will pass through said slots and engage with the edges 27 of the slots to look the covers. Thelevers 26 are I pivotally mounted onbrackets securedto one 0 surface of the back of the case.

side of the casing and the hooked ends pass through slots formed in said upper edge 15 which is strengthened by being first bent inwardly to form a seat for the cover frame and then downwardly to form an efficient sealing means for the cover as shown clearly in Figure 3. The lower ends 28 of the levers extend beyond the brackets and are coupled together by means of the link or bar 29 .pivotally attached to the levers by means of the pins 30, so that on movement of said bar, all the locking levers will move in unison. Pivotally attached to, and in close proximity to one end of the link is the connecting rod 31, one end 31 of which is adaptedto pass through a slot or aperture formed or cut in the back of the casing. An operating handle 33 is pivotally attached to the end of the connecting rod by means of the pin 34. The handle is so formed that the distance between the centre of the pin 34 and the surface 35 is less than the distance between said centre and the surface 36,

,SO that the handle when'turned or rotated on the pin 34 will pull the connecting rod towards the back of the box thereby operating the locking levers through the attached link. A collar 37 may be's ecured to the connecting rod and a spring 38 surrounding said rod may be placed between the collar and the inner A notch 32 may be cut in the connecting rod in such a position that when the locking levers are in the locked position that is engaging with the closed or sealed lids, said notch'will engage 35 with the back of the case and prevent movement of the rod. The notch is shown cut in the upper edge of the lever, so that the hand lever must be pressed downwardly to unlock "the covers. A spring 32 may be provided to hold the notch in the rod in engagement with the back of the case, said spring being attached at one end to the bracket 32, securedto the back ofthe case by any suitable means, while the other end of the spring is secured to the spring 38 or to the rod, or to any other part movable with the rod. A plurality of spaced supports 39 may be secured to the inner surface of the bottom of the box andthey maybe made in such a manner that their upper surfaces 40 lie parallel with the upper edges of the sides of the casing, sothat boxes of cigars,'cigarettes, o'r'the like, will be held in such a manner that-their contents will be displayed to the best advantage. Guides 41 may be secured or formed in the inner surface of the bottom ofthe box and slidably mounted in said guides is the humidor 42, which is so constructed that it will slide through a slot 43 formed in the back of the casing. The end of the humidor has a thin sheet of metal projecting above and below the main body of the humidor, so that when in position the slot will be covered to prevent escape of the moistened air within the casing. To hold the humidor in position a bracket 44 is secured to the back of the case in proximity to and below the bottom of the slot 43, so that the piece of metal projecting downwardly from the humidor will fit in a space 45 formed between the W The humidor may be of rectangular formation and made from channel shaped members 46, between the flanges of which is placed absorbent material 47 and to hold the material 47 in place, perforated sheets 48 may be mounted between the members 46.

In operation boxes of cigars, cigarettes or the like, are placed on the upper edges of the supports and the sides of the boxes are held in place by coming in contact with the ver tically disposed portions of the upper edges of the case or cover support. The covers are then closed by dropping them so that the downwardly turned edges of the cover frame will engage with the vertically disposed portions of t e side walls and the back or front or cover supports to seal the cover and prevent escape of the moistened air within the casing. In dropping, the edges of the slots cont-act with the curved ends of the locking levers, and cause same to move against the spring on the connecting rod until they spring into looking position, when the handle and rod are depressed and the sides of the slot clear of the case. The covers can only be opened by operating the cam lever and this lever must first be pressed downwardly to take the rod slot clear of the back of the casing to allow the cam lever when turned to pull the rod towards the back of the case.

It will be seen that a case, constructed in the manner disclosed, cannot be opened except by an authorized person and one familiar with the construction of the case. The lever is placed at the back of the case so that it will have to be operated from the back of the counter on which it is placed. It will also be seen that one or all of the covers can be opened if so desired. The case is so constructed that the goods contained therein may be displayed to the best advantage and by providing humidors within the casing, the quality of the cigars is retained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a display casehaving a plurality of independently hinged covers, locking means for securing said covers in closed position, means formed in the covers to seal said case and to guide the covers towards the locking means, means positioned at the back of the Cal case and connected to the locking means to unlock the covers in unison, a slot formed in the locking means and engaging with the back of the case to prevent unlocking movement of the lock means, and flexible means to hold the slot in engagement with the case.

2. In a display case having a plurality of independently hinged covers, locking means for securing said covers in closed position, means to position the covers to contact with the locking means and to seal the case to prevent escape of air between the covers and case when they are in the closed position, means connected to the locking means and positioned at the back of the case to hold the locking means in the locked or unlocked position, a slot formed in the locking means and engaging with the back of the case to prevent unauthorized unlocking movement of the looking means, and spring controlled means to hold the slot in the locking direction.

3. A display case equipped with a plurality of covers hingedly connected thereto, each cover having a slot formed in one side thereof, a plurality of hooked levers pivoted to the case with the hooked ends projecting above the case to engage with the slots in the covers, means connecting the levers to cause said levers to move in unison, an operating member connected to said means and projecting through a slot formed in the back of the case, said operating member being laterally movable in said slot and being provided with a notch in which one edge of the slot is engaged at times to prevent movement of the operating member in one direction, a spring encircling the operating member and confined between the back of the case and a suitable abutment carried by the operating member and a second spring connected between the first mentioned spring and the back of the case and arranged to pull the operating member laterally in a direction to engage one edge of the slot in the aforesaid notch of the operating member.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN H. VAN SIGKELS. 

